Recently Unearthed 1931 Duesenberg Model J DisappearingTop Convertible Coupe Leads Prewar Offerings

By: Gooding & Company
The two-day auction event in March will feature a garage-find Duesenberg Model J Disappearing-Top Convertible Coupe in remarkably original condition, alongside an Auburn 851 SC Boattail Speedster and a Coupe des Alpes-winning Talbot AV105 Tourer.

Last year, Gooding & Company set the record for the most valuable car sold at auction in Florida with its 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider in Amelia Island. This March, Gooding & Company is poised to return as the leading auction house of the venue, where it will offer significant Classic and Brass Era selections, including a 1931 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing-Top Convertible Coupe that recently emerged from 55 years of hiding. On Thursday, February 29 and Friday, March 1, Gooding & Company will again host a two-day auction event at the Omni Amelia Island Resort, featuring a selection of desirable American and European prewar offerings. Additional star consignments will be announced in the coming weeks preceding the highly anticipated auction event.

‘It is with great privilege that we bring this remarkably original, matching-numbers Duesenberg to auction, among the last Model Js to emerge from hiding after having been quietly tucked away for over 55 years,’ said Garth Hammers, Gooding & Company Specialist. ‘With its recent attention by the ACD Company and the foremost authorities on the Duesenberg marque, this example presents an unprecedented opportunity, the likes of which collectors will never see again. We are excited to bring this Model J, alongside other leading prewar American and European classics, to market.’

1931 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing-Top Convertible Coupe (Estimate: $2,750,000 – $3,500,000)
Upon its debut at the New York Auto Salon in December 1928, the 1929 Duesenberg Model J became an instant marvel. With its unparalleled power, beauty, and technical advancements, E.L. Cord and Fred Duesenberg’s Model J has remained a timeless sensation for nearly a century, standing the test of time and retaining its status as the greatest American Classic. The 1931 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing-Top Convertible Coupe on offer here, chassis 2365, engine J-346, is among the most iconic and sought-after examples of the mighty Model J, with its highly desirable body style. This matching-numbers, disappearing-top example recently emerged after being sequestered for over 55 years, where it was entombed, completely undisturbed in private storage in Illinois from 1967 to 2022. Today, it is being offered with a fascinating, unbroken historical provenance since new, including single family ownership from 1961 to 2022.

The Walter M. Murphy Company of Pasadena, California fitted bodies for 140 of the 481 Model Js built in total, and of the 52 convertible coupes it outfitted, a mere 25 featured the disappearing-top design, delivered to the automaker’s most elite clientele. J-346 was listed as a factory demonstrator before acquisition by its first owner, Gene Gordon Culver of New York. Culver came from a prominent stove manufacturing family and was the grandson of Culver Military Academy founder Henry Harrison Culver. In 1938, J-346 passed on to David Archibald Smart, the co-founder and publisher of Esquire magazine. It later went on to Sigurd Olsen of Chicago before relocating to Cincinnati, where it lived with its fourth owner, William A. Burns, Jr. Burns displayed the Model J at the Classic Car Club of America Annual Review 1954, and in 1956, registered the car with the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club.

Out of sheer coincidence, in November 1959, Burns donated the Duesenberg to the Culver Military Academy for its ‘Motors Course.’ When the Academy discontinued the course, J-346 was put up for sale in an advertisement in the Chicago Tribune, where it received over 50 inquiries from interested parties. Tom Hawkinson purchased the car, and it remained with his family for 61 years. Upon discovery, this garage-find Model J was sent to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Company in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, where it was acquired by its current owner. The car was returned to running order, and unoriginal fender modifications were removed, bringing the car back to its as-delivered specification. J-346 still retains its original instrumentation on the dashboard, including a Taylor altimeter, Stewart-Warner speedometer and tachometer, an eight-day Jaeger chronograph, and a pair of Stromberg windshield wiper motors. Following its refreshening, J-346 debuted at the ACD Festival in September 2023 before being displayed at the Hershey Fall Meet in October. According to the consignor, marque authority Randy Ema noted that this is one of the last Duesenberg Model Js to come out of hiding, making this an opportunity that will surely never be repeated.

1935 Auburn 851 SC Boattail Speedster (Estimate: $800,000 – $1,000,000)
The Boattail Speedster was conceived when talented designer Gordon Buehrig delivered a stylistic update for the 1935 Auburn Speedsters. Of the 143 Speedsters built in total, fewer than 50 are believed to remain today, including this 1935 Auburn 851 SC Boattail Speedster, chassis 33177E. This Speedster was purchased in unrestored condition by Glenn Pray over four decades ago, when he served as the President of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club. 33177E was acquired by the consignor in March 2016, who commissioned a restoration to return the Speedster to its original, correct specification by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Company, as personally supervised by ACD Club President and the son of Glenn Pray, Doug Pray. In homage to the four white Auburn cars that took part in the company’s 150-stop, cross-country White Caravan tour of 1935, 33177E was finished in a refreshing ivory color over a tan interior. Its convertible canvas top was custom woven to match material originally available from Auburn, perfectly complementing this Speedster’s light color palette. Upon completion of this meticulous, multiyear restoration in July 2023, the rare Auburn was exhibited at the 2023 Hershey AACA National Meet, where it won a First Place award.

1932 Talbot AV105 Tourer (Estimate: $400,000 – $500,000)
In 1931, London-based automaker Talbot enlisted brilliant engineer Georges Roesch to introduce the improved AV105 model, building upon the success of the model 90, which garnered 3rd and 4th place wins at Le Mans the year prior. In 1932, the Kensington firm’s crowning achievement was realized when three Fox & Nicholl AV105 team cars victoriously competed in the grueling Alpine Trial and won the prestigious Coupe des Alpes, awarded to the team with the highest-scoring trio of cars. On offer here is one of those three victorious team entries, authentically restored to exacting standards while retaining its original mechanical components. Chassis 31084 was delivered new to London dealer Warwick Wright Ltd., powered by Talbot’s new high compression, three-liter inline six-cylinder engine. Its signature Vanden Plas tourer coachwork was fitted with rally modifications. As Europe’s most demanding endurance event, the Alpine Trial consisted of a six-day, 1,625-mile trek through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, and Italy. The Fox & Nicholl trio secured Alpine Cup top honors with zero deductions for mechanical failure, a feat never before achieved in the event’s history.

Following the victorious win, 31084 was kept by a number of British owners before landing in the hands of David Thomson of London, who tasked marque specialist Ian Polson with a thorough restoration. A bare metal repaint brought the car back to its original color, a striking apple green tone. Following its mechanical and cosmetic freshening, including a rebuild of its original engine and gearbox, Thomson toured the car extensively, participating in the Liege-Rome-Liege rally for four consecutive years from 2002 to 2005, the Mille Miglia in 2006 and 2008, and the 75th anniversary of the Alpine Trial in 2007. Following ownership by Talbot enthusiast David Cook, this AV105 Tourer was acquired by its current owner in 2022, who commissioned SBP Historics to revitalize the cosmetic appointments of the car. Afterward, 31084 won a First in Class award at the 2023 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®.

Gooding & Company’s Amelia Island Auctions will also feature a desirable second-series 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio (Estimate: $350,000 – $450,000) with open coachwork by Gangloff. This Type 57C Stelvio was delivered new to its first private owner, M. Zurstrassen of Liège, Belgium, before passing on to Romanian race car driver Georges Bouriano in the early 1950s. It would eventually join the respected collection of Alden Sherman, who retained the Type 57C for over 60 years. Never before offered for public sale, this elegant open-coachwork Gangloff design presents an enticing opportunity to acquire one of just 96 factory-built supercharged Bugatti 57Cs with notable European and American provenance. Additional prewar offerings at Amelia Island will include a rare alloy-bodied 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante (Estimate: $2,400,000 – $2,800,000) fitted with a factory-built supercharged engine, and a 1914 Stutz 6E ‘Bearcat’ (Estimate: $400,000 – $475,000) powered by a T-head six-cylinder engine and finished in vermillion red paint over bucket seats trimmed in tan leather.

Amelia Island Auctions
Dates: Thursday, February 29 at 3 p.m. EST, and Friday, March 1 at 11 a.m. EST
Location: Racquet Park, Omni Amelia Island Resort
Public Preview: Wednesday, February 28 through Friday, March 1
Auction Catalogue: $120, includes admission for two to the viewing and the auctions
General Admission: $50, includes admission for one to the viewing and the auctions
Bidder Registration: www.goodingco.com/register
Live Auction Broadcast: www.goodingco.com
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Phone: +1.310.899.1960

About Gooding & Company
Gooding & Company is celebrated for its world-class automotive auctions, private brokerage, and unparalleled service in the international collector car market, achieving over $2.75 billion in sales since the company’s inception. The auction house continues to deliver market-leading results through both its live auctions and Geared Online platform, setting new trends and world records with best-of-category cars across numerous verticals. Gooding & Company consistently presents the highest quality consignments while operating with openness and integrity, providing the company a reputation of trust and respect unmatched in the industry. Offering a wide range of services including private and estate sales, appraisals and collection management, the auction house is ready to assist you with numerous collector car services.
Photo credit: Gooding & Company
posted on conceptcarz.com

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